TEXTS ON MUSIC IN ENGLISH
School of Music
University of Nebraska--Lincoln
Lincoln, NE 68588-0100
(phone: [402] 472-2507; Internet: plefferts1@unl.edu)

Data entry: Peter M. Lefferts
Checked by: Peter Slemon
Approved by: Peter M. Lefferts

Fn and Ft: CHORLAM1_MLBLA292
Author: Anonymous
Title: A Chorister's Lament
Source: London, British Library, Arundel 292, ff. 70v-71r.

[-f.70v-] Uncomly in cloystre. i coure ful of care
Y loke as a lurdeyn. and listne til my lare
the song of the cesolfa. dos me syken sare
and sitte stotiand on a song. a moneth and mare
Y ga gowlend abowte. al so dos a goke
Mani is the sorwfol song. ic singge vpon mi bok.
Y am holde so harde. vnnethes dar i loke
al the mirthe of this mold. for god i forsoke
I gowle on mi grayel. and Rore als a Roke
Litel wiste i therof. qwan I therto toke
Summe notes arn shorte. and somme a long noke
Somme kroken aweyward. als a fleshoke
Qwan i kan mi lesson. mi Meyster wil i gon
that heres me mi rendre. he wenes i haue wel don.
Qwat hast thu don dawn Water. sin saterdai at non.
thu holdest nowt a note. by god in riht ton.
Wayme leue Water. thu werkes al til shame
thu stomblest and stikes fast. as thu were lame
thu tones nowt the note. ilke be his name
thu bitist asonder bequarre. for bemol i the blame
Wey the leue Water. thu werkes al to wonder
als an old cawdrun. bigynnest to clonder
thu tuchest nowt the notes. thu bites hem on sonder
hold up for shame. thu letes hem al vnder
thanne is Water so wo. that wol ner wil he blede
and wendis him til William. and bit him wel to spede
god it wot seys William. therof hadd i nede
now wot i qwou Yudicare. was set in the crede
[-f.71r-] Me is wo so is the be. that belles in the walmes
Y donke vpon David. til mi tonge talmes
Y ne rendrede nowt. sithen men beren palmes
Ys it also mikel sorwe. in song so is in salmes
tha bi God thu reddis and so it is wel werre
Y solfe and singge after and is me nevere the nerre
Y horle at the notes and heue hem al of herre
alle that me heres wenes that i erre
Of bemol and of bequarre. of bothe i was wol bare
Qwan i wente out of this word and liste til mi lare
Of effauz and elami ne coud y neuere are
Y fayle faste in the fa it files al mi fare
Zet ther ben other notes sol and vt and la
and that froward file. that men clepis fa.
Often he dos me liken ille and werkes me ful wa.
Mizt i him neuere hitten in ton for to ta.
Zet ther is a streinant witz to longe tailes
therfore has vre mayster. ofte horled mi kayles
ful litel thu kennes qwat sorwe me ayles
it is but childes game that thu witz David dayles.
Qwan ilke note til other lepes and makes hem asawt.
that we calles a moyson in gesolreutz en hawt.
il hayl were thu boren. zif thu make defawt.
thanne sais oure mayster que wos ren ne vawt.